'He Owned Me The First Part Of Our Careers But The Second Part I Owned Him' - Phil Mickelson Details How 'Tiger Slayer' Putter Helped Even The Score With Woods

Phil Mickelson says his 'Tiger Slayer' putter helped him to even up his head-to-head record with Tiger Woods after being "owned" in the early part of his career

Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods head-to-head
(Image credit: Getty Images)
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Phil Mickelson has told the story of why he named his putter the 'Tiger Slayer' after claiming that he "owned" Tiger Woods over the second half of their careers.

Speaking on his latest YouTube video with Grant Horvat, Mickelson is full of praise for Woods, who he labels "the greatest of all time" but is keen to point out he more than held his own against him.

Six-time Major champion Mickelson says a red-hot putter at the 2012 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am saw him totally outplay Woods when paired in the final round, as part of what he feels was a successful run.

Mickelson told Horvat that after being dominated by 15-time Major champion Woods for the first half of his career, he hit back to level the head-to-head score over the second half.

"You know where it got the name?" Mickelson said to Horvat when asked about his putter in the YouTube video which had 'Tiger Slayer' on the headcover.

"2012 AT&T I used that putter and I made everything and shot 64 and he shot 75. And that's where it initially slayed the Tiger...and after that it kept doing it."

Mickelson continued to detail how he got his own back on Woods when they were paired together later on in their careers.

"He owned me the first half of our careers. His record against me head-to-head was dominant, it is now even when we play together," said Mickelson.

Mickelson could only admire some of Woods' play, especially during his famous Tiger Slam, but is proud of improving his head-to-head record after linking up with coach Butch Harmon.

"Obviously his record is his record, he's the greatest of all time," Mickelson said of Woods. "I've seen him do things with a golf ball that I've never seen anybody be able to do. And his play in 2000 was indescribable, how good it was.

"He owned me the first part of our careers but the second part I owned him. So after 07 I started working with Butch and I started doing really well head-to-head.

"Our head-to-head record when we're paired together I believe is dead even."

Paul Higham
Paul Higham
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Paul Higham is a sports journalist with over 20 years of experience in covering most major sporting events for both Sky Sports and BBC Sport. He is currently freelance and covers the golf majors on the BBC Sport website.  Highlights over the years include covering that epic Monday finish in the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor and watching Rory McIlroy produce one of the most dominant Major wins at the 2011 US Open at Congressional. He also writes betting previews and still feels strangely proud of backing Danny Willett when he won the Masters in 2016 - Willett also praised his putting stroke during a media event before the Open at Hoylake. Favourite interviews he's conducted have been with McIlroy, Paul McGinley, Thomas Bjorn, Rickie Fowler and the enigma that is Victor Dubuisson. A big fan of watching any golf from any tour, sadly he spends more time writing about golf than playing these days with two young children, and as a big fair weather golfer claims playing in shorts is worth at least five shots. Being from Liverpool he loves the likes of Hoylake, Birkdale and the stretch of tracks along England's Golf Coast, but would say his favourite courses played are Kingsbarns and Portrush. 

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